The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher and a method of controlling the dishwasher.
Dishwashers spray washing water to a dish to remove leftover food or food waste from the dish.
Such a dishwasher includes a sump at a side of a washing chamber to receive clean washing water, and a washing water sprayer to spray washing water to dishes within the washing chamber, thereby washing the dishes. The washing water used for washing the dishes is recovered to the sump, and then, is supplied again to the washing water sprayer through a filter device within the sump.
When the washing of the dishes is completed, all of the washing water is discharged from the washing chamber and the sump. At this point, a foreign substance filtered by the filter device may be discharged together with the washing water out of the dishwasher.
However, while dishes are washed, foreign substances are continually stacked on the filter device, thereby clogging the filter device.
Furthermore, foreign substances stacked on the filter device function as a resistance against a flow of washing water passing through the filter device, to thereby decrease a flow rate of the washing water. As a result, the amount of washing water supplied to the washing water sprayer is reduced, and thus, washing performance of the dishwasher is degraded, and an overload is applied to a washing water pump unit for pumping washing water.
In addition, since foreign substances continually stacked on the filter device stick to at least one surface of a filter, removal of the foreign substance may be difficult, and a foreign substance may decay to generate offensive smell in the washing chamber.